Predictive disc drive failure methodology

• US 20040051988A1
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Ulrich, Scott Douglas, Jing, Gary Gang, Lin, Yi Q., Langlais, Timothy Edward
• Granted Patent: US 6,982,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/31
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/04 Arrangements for preventing, inhibiting, or warning against double recording on the same blank or against other recording or reproducing malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1816 Testing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

A method of performing predictive failure analysis (PFA) for a disc drive includes maintaining at least two primary error counts during operation of the disc drive. The primary error counts each correspond to disc drive errors associated with different attributes of the disc drive and are potentially indicative of disc drive failure. Imminent disc drive failure is predicted based upon a combination of the primary error counts.

Claims

1. A method of performing predictive failure analysis of a disc drive during operation of the disc drive, comprising:

a) maintaining a first primary error count corresponding to disc drive errors associated with a first attribute of the disc drive, the first primary error count potentially indicative of disc drive failure;

b) maintaining a second primary error count corresponding to disc drive errors associated with a second attribute of the disc drive, the second primary error count potentially indicative of disc drive failure; and

c) predicting imminent disc drive failure based upon a combination of the first and second primary error counts.

2. The method of claim 1, including a step d) of generating an alert when imminent disc drive failure is predicted.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predicting step c) includes:

1) comparing the first primary error count to a corresponding first threshold value;

2) triggering a first attribute failure when the first primary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the first threshold value;

3) comparing the second primary error count to a corresponding second threshold value;

4) triggering a second attribute failure when the second primary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the first threshold value; and

5) predicting imminent disc drive failure after both the first and the second attribute failures are triggered.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predicting step c) includes:

6) calculating a combined primary error value, which is equal to the first primary error count multiplied by the second primary error count;

7) comparing the combined primary error value to a combined threshold value; and

8) predicting imminent disc drive failure when the combined primary error value reaches a predetermined relationship to the combined threshold value.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first attribute failure is triggered in step c)2) when the first primary error count is equal to, or greater than, the first threshold value.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the second attribute failure is triggered in step c)4) when the second primary error count is equal to, or greater than, the second threshold value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predicting step c) includes:

1) calculating a combined primary error value, which is equal to the first primary error count multiplied by the second primary error count;

2) comparing the combined primary error value to a combined threshold value; and

3) predicting imminent disc drive failure when the combined primary error value reaches a predetermined relationship to the combined threshold value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a power is applied to at least one of the first or second primary error counts and/or the primary error counts are further multiplied by a coefficient in the calculating step c)1) of the combined primary error value.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step a) includes:

1) detecting first errors associated with the first attribute;

2) incrementing a first secondary error count for each detected first error;

3) comparing the first secondary error count to a first secondary threshold value;

4) repeating steps

     1)-3) until either an expiration of a first interval, or when the first secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the first secondary threshold value;

5) incrementing the first primary error count when the first secondary error count reaches the predetermined relationship to the first secondary threshold value;

6) resetting the first secondary error count;

7) restarting the first interval; and

8) returning to step

     1).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the maintaining step b) includes:

1) detecting second errors associated with the second attribute;

2) incrementing a second secondary error count for each detected second error;

3) comparing the second secondary count to a second secondary threshold value;

4) repeating steps 1)-3) until either an expiration of a second interval, or when the second secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the second secondary threshold value;

5) incrementing the second primary error count when the second secondary count reaches the predetermined relationship to the second secondary threshold value;

6) resetting the second secondary error count;

7) restarting the second interval; and

8) returning to step

     1).

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined relationship is reached in step a)4) when the first secondary error count is equal to, or greater than, the first secondary threshold value.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined relationship is reached in step b)4) when the second secondary error count is equal to, or greater than, the second secondary threshold value.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step a) includes:

1) detecting first errors associated with the first attribute;

2) incrementing a first secondary error count for each detected first error;

3) comparing the first secondary error count to a first secondary threshold value;

4) repeating steps

     1)-3) until either an expiration of a first interval, or when the first secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the first secondary threshold value;

5) incrementing the first primary error count when the first secondary error count reaches the predetermined relationship to the first secondary threshold value;

6) decrementing the first primary error count when the first secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to a first correcting threshold value within the first interval;

7) resetting the first secondary error count;

8) restarting the first interval; and

9) returning to step

     1).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the maintaining step b) includes:

1) detecting second errors associated with the second attribute;

2) incrementing a second secondary error count for each detected second error;

3) comparing the second secondary error count to a second secondary threshold value;

4) repeating steps

     1)-3) until either an expiration of a second interval, or when the second secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the second secondary threshold value;

5) incrementing the second primary error count when the second secondary error count reaches the predetermined relationship to the second secondary threshold value;

6) decrementing the second primary error count when the second secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to a second correcting threshold value within the second interval;

7) resetting the second secondary error count;

8) restarting the second interval; and

9) returning to step

     1).

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined relationship is reached in step a)4) when the first secondary error count is equal to, or greater than, the first secondary threshold value.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined relationship is reached in step b)4) when the second secondary error count is equal to, or greater than, the second secondary threshold value.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first attribute corresponds to a recoverable read error.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the second attribute corresponds to a recoverable seek error.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step a) includes:

1) detecting first errors associated with the first attribute;

2) incrementing a first secondary error count for each detected first error;

3) comparing the first secondary error count to a first secondary threshold value;

4) repeating steps

     1)-3) until an expiration of a first interval;

5) incrementing the first primary error count when the first secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the first secondary threshold value;

6) resetting the first secondary error count;

7) restarting the first interval; and

8) returning to step

     1).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the maintaining step b) includes:

1) detecting second errors associated with the second attribute;

2) incrementing a second secondary error count for each detected second error;

3) comparing the second secondary count to a second secondary threshold value;

4) repeating steps

     1)-3) until an expiration of a second interval;

5) incrementing the second primary error count when the second secondary count reaches a predetermined relationship to the second secondary threshold value;

6) resetting the second secondary error count;

7) restarting the second interval; and

8) returning to step

     1).

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the predetermined relationship is reached in step a)5) when the first secondary error count is equal to, or greater than, the first secondary threshold value.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the predetermined relationship is reached in step b)5) when the second secondary error count is equal to, or greater than, the second secondary threshold value.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step a) includes:

1) detecting first errors associated with the first attribute;

2) incrementing a first secondary error count for each detected first error;

3) comparing the first secondary error count to a first secondary threshold value;

4) repeating steps

     1)-3) until an expiration of a first interval;

5) incrementing the first primary error count when the first secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the first secondary threshold value;

6) decrementing the first primary error count when the, first secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to a first correcting threshold value within the first interval;

7) resetting the first secondary error count;

8) restarting the first interval; and

9) returning to step

     1).

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the maintaining step b) includes:

1) detecting second errors associated with the second attribute;

2) incrementing a second secondary error count for each detected second error;

3) comparing the second secondary error count to a second secondary threshold value;

4) repeating steps

     1)-3) until an expiration of a second interval;

5) incrementing the second primary error count when the second secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the second secondary threshold value;

6) decrementing the second primary error count when the second secondary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to a second correcting threshold value within the second interval;

7) resetting the second secondary error count;

8) restarting the second interval; and

9) returning to step

     1).

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined relationship is reached in step a)5) when the first secondary error count is equal to, or greater than, the first secondary threshold value.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the predetermined relationship is reached in step b)5) when the second secondary error count is equal to, or greater than, the second secondary threshold value.

27. A method of performing predictive failure analysis of a disc drive during operation of the disc drive, comprising:

a) maintaining a first primary error count corresponding to disc drive errors associated with a first attribute of the disc drive, the first primary error count potentially indicative of disc drive failure;

b) comparing the first primary error count to a corresponding first threshold value;

c) triggering a first attribute failure when the first primary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the first threshold value;

d) maintaining a second primary error count corresponding to disc drive errors associated with a second attribute of the disc drive, the second primary error count potentially indicative of disc drive failure;

e) comparing the second primary error count to a corresponding second threshold value;

f) triggering a second attribute failure when the second primary error count reaches a predetermined relationship to the first threshold value;

g) predicting imminent disc drive failure after both the first and the second attribute failures are triggered.

28. A method of performing predictive failure analysis for a disc drive during operation of the disc drive, comprising:

a) maintaining a first primary error count corresponding to disc drive errors associated with a first attribute of the disc drive, the first primary error count potentially indicative of disc drive failure;

b) maintaining a second primary error count corresponding to disc drive errors associated with a second attribute of the disc drive, the second primary error count potentially indicative of disc drive failure;

c) calculating a combined primary error value, which is, equal to the first primary error count multiplied by the second primary error count;

d) comparing the combined primary error value to a combined threshold value; and

e) predicting imminent disc drive failure when the combined primary error value reaches a predetermined relationship to the combined threshold value.

29. A method of performing predictive failure in the analysis for a disc drive during operation of the disc drive comprising:

a) maintaining multiple primary error counts each corresponding to disc drive errors associated with an attribute of the disc drive and potentially indicative of disc drive failure; and

b) predicting imminent disc drive failure based upon a combination of the multiple primary error counts.